It was chosen before her birth and would have been given to her even if she was a boy. Shelley Berman (male) was a popular comedian at the time, and Dale Evans (female) was a singin’ cowgirl.
I have also seen the name Corey/Cory for both males and females. I haven’t noticed any particular spelling for either gneder - I recall seeing both, but I really not sure.
I also know of a couple female Shawn’s. Thats kind of funny to me, since its my brother’s name!
I have known guys with almost every “female” name mentioned here, Shannon, Shirley, Beverly – but I’ve never heard of a male Clare! In one small town, there was a male lawyer named Beverley, and he named is daughter Beverly and she grew up to be a lawyer and they went into practice together.
My brother’s middle name is Lynn, named for my mother’s male cousin Lynn. The feminine of this name is Lynne, which almost no one uses.
I know two male Gales; one I think was named that, the other is short for Gaylord. I think he spells it Gayle, which looks feminine to me.
In Clarence Day’s classic Life with Father, his father (for whom the author was named) goes by Clare.
My sister used to date a guy named Erin.
Mr. S has a male friend named Lynn, and a sister-in-law who has a very girly given name, but goes by “Mike” (which is nothing like her real name).
My foster brother’s name is Corey. Long ago, I had a male best friend named Shane who lived with two of his female cousins, named Corrie and Shayne. In high school I knew a boy named Shayne.
Consensus:
Corey = male
Corrie = Female
Shane = Male
Shayne = Either